(CNN) - CNN's Tom Foreman and his team kept politicians honest last year with "Reality Checks," a new 3-D, visual way of getting to the root of some of the complex, carefully-crafted statements made on the campaign trail.

Because of Foreman's innovative use of graphics and technology to put the news into context, CNN was awarded the Cronkite/Jackson Prize for Fact Checking Political Messages, the University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism announced Wednesday.FULL POST

CNN's GUT CHECK | for March 5, 2013 | 5 p.m.
– n. a pause to assess the state, progress or condition of the political news cycle

BREAKING: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has died, Vice President Nicolas Maduro said Tuesday. He was 58. More at CNN.com.

DEVELOPING: JOHN BRENNAN ONE STEP CLOSER TO LANGLEY… The Senate Intelligence Committee voted 12-3 Tuesday to send John Brennan's nomination to be the next CIA director to the full Senate. The vote was delayed twice as members received and processed classified documents relating to the White House's targeted killing program, which includes the use of unmanned drones to kill suspected terrorists. – Kevin Liptak and Ashley Killough

CNN's GUT CHECK | for March 4, 2013 | 5 p.m.
– n. a pause to assess the state, progress or condition of the political news cycle

BREAKING: BIDEN ON IRAN: 'OBAMA IS NOT BLUFFING'…Vice President Joe Biden stressed the importance of a nuclear free Iran in a speech before AIPAC… “We have a shared strategic commitment. Let me make clear what that commitment is. It is to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. Period. Period. End of discussion. Period. Prevent not contain. Prevent. … Big nations can't bluff and Presidents of the United States cannot and do not bluff and President Barack Obama is not bluffing. He is not bluffing. We are not looking for war. We are looking to and ready to negotiate peacefully but all options, including military force, are on the table but as I made clear at the Munich Security Conference … the world's preference is for a diplomatic solution.

ATHEISTS APOLOGIZE TO PALIN: BUT STAND BY BILLBOARD’S INTENT… An atheist group that misquoted former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin in a billboard in Texas is apologizing to the Republican and correcting the mistake. But it continues to defend the “intent and context” of the effort.

(CNN) – Former GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney looked back to the moment on election night that he knew he had lost.

"It was a slow recognition, until ultimately when the Ohio numbers began coming in and they were disappointing, I said, 'Look, this looks like we lost.' Wasn't certain. Some people said 'Oh, look, if this number comes in you could win,' but by 8 or 9 o'clock it was pretty clear that we were not going to win."FULL POST

CNN's GUT CHECK | for March 1, 2013 | 5 p.m.
– n. a pause to assess the state, progress or condition of the political news cycle

ROMNEY HITS OBAMA FOR CAMPAIGNING INSTEAD OF GOVERNING… In his first post-election interview, Mitt Romney tells Fox News Sunday: “Well, no one can think that's been a success for the president. He didn't think the sequester would happen. It is happening. But to date, what we've seen is the president out campaigning to the American people, doing rallies around the country, flying around the country, and berating Republicans. And blaming and pointing. Now what does that do? That causes the Republicans to retrench and then put up a wall and fight back. It's a very natural human emotion.”

SEQUESTRATUS INEVITABILIS: President Barack Obama blamed Congress for failing to prevent $85 billion in forced government spending cuts that take effect tonight, saying that the sharp reduction will harm economic recovery. The president met with congressional leaders at the White House prior to briefing reporters, but no agreement emerged to avert the automatic austerity that both sides oppose. … The cuts involve roughly 9% for a broad range of non-defense programs and 13% for the Pentagon over the rest of the current fiscal year. They officially take effect just before midnight tonight. – Jessica Yellin and Tom Cohen

THE NEXT DEADLINE: House Speaker John Boehner said after meeting Friday with President Barack Obama that the House will take up a measure next week to authorize federal funding beyond a March 27 deadline to prevent a potential partial government shutdown.

CNN's GUT CHECK | for February 28, 2013 | 5 p.m.
– n. a pause to assess the state, progress or condition of the political news cycle

BREAKING: OBAMA ADMINISTRATION URGES HIGH COURT TO OVERTURN GAY MARRIAGE BAN IN CALIFORNIA… The Obama administration has formally expressed its support of same sex marriage in California, saying in a legal brief Thursday that gay and lesbian couples there have the same "equal protection" rights to wed, and that voters in the state were wrong to ban it, according to an administration official. An appeal in the so-called Proposition 8 case will be formally filed later Thursday with the Supreme Court, which will hear the issue next month. – Bill Mears

SENATE PASSES VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT: Struggling again with an issue important to women and minority groups, House Republicans on Thursday failed to pass their version of a new Violence Against Women Act and then split over a Senate version that won approval with unanimous Democratic support. The measure now goes to President Barack Obama, who said in a statement that it was "an important step towards making sure no one in America is forced to live in fear.” – Tom Cohen

POPE NO MORE: The papacy of Benedict XVI is over, ending a pontificate in retirement rather than death for the first time in nearly 600 years. The Throne of St. Peter is vacant. The Catholic Church has no pope.

CNN's GUT CHECK | for February 27, 2013 | 5 p.m.
– n. a pause to assess the state, progress or condition of the political news cycle

‘BE READY TO TALK SOLUTIONS’: An Obama administration official tells CNN that President Barack Obama spoke briefly with House Speaker John Boehner, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. He said they need to be “ready to talk solutions” at their White House meeting on Friday.

DEADLINE: The president is required by law to issue the sequestration order by 11:59 p.m. ET on March 1, an official from the Office of Management and Budget told CNN’s Jessica Yellin. OMB would transmit the order to Congress.

CNN's GUT CHECK | for February 26, 2013 | 5 p.m.
– n. a pause to assess the state, progress or condition of the political news cycle

CABINET TAKING SHAPE…

HAGEL CONFIRMED: The Senate on Tuesday confirmed Chuck Hagel as defense secretary after a bruising political fight. The final 58-41 vote fell nearly down party lines, with only four Republicans voting yes – Senators Thad Cochran of Mississippi, Mike Johanns of Nebraska, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Richard Shelby of Alabama. Hagel, a former Nebraska senator and a Republican, will succeed Leon Panetta at the Pentagon.

LEW ON THE VERGE: The Senate Finance Committee approved the nomination of former White House Chief of Staff Jack Lew to be treasury secretary. The full Senate could vote on his nomination as early as tomorrow.

DIPLOMACY, HILL STYLE: BOEHNER SAYS SENATE SHOULD GET OFF ITS ‘ASS’... “We have moved a bill in the House twice. We should not have to move a third bill before the Senate gets off their ass and begins to do something,” House Speaker John Boehner said at a Capitol Hill news conference.

CNN's GUT CHECK | for February 25, 2013 | 5 p.m.
– n. a pause to assess the state, progress or condition of the political news cycle

BREAKING: Former Surgeon General of the United States C. Everett Koop died in his home in Hanover, New Hampshire. He was 96. Koop served as surgeon general from 1982-1989, under then-Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. He was outspoken on public health issues and did much to elevate the office of the surgeon general.

FORCED BUDGET CUTS WATCH: ‘THESE CUTS DO NOT HAVE TO HAPPEN,’ OBAMA SAYS… In his latest push to pressure Congress before automatic, government-wide spending cuts kick in on Friday, President Barack Obama is bringing state governors into the conversation. The president spoke on Monday before the National Governors Association at the White House, where he urged the state executives to weigh in on the matter. – Ashley Killough